The 1990s is a decade many fans look back on with great nostalgia. Not only are there countless classic movies to come out of this era, but there are also those movies fans return to over and over again. But while hits like Titanic and Independence Day are beloved, these movies could have been even better if they had kept crucial deleted scenes.
There are many reasons why scenes get deleted from movies, from issues with tone to concerns about pacing. However, looking at these scenes that didn't make the final cut, they could have offered something really special to these great 90s movies.
Titanic (1997)
James Cameron's Titanic is already a 3-hour long epic so it's hard to imagine there being too much that wasn't included. But the movie is actually missing several scenes that were cut. One that stands out is an extended sequence with the survivors of the disaster.
While the final movie features a scene aboard the rescue ship that focuses on Rose, this deleted scene shows the other survivors coming to grips with what they just experienced, many of them grieving. It also features a powerful moment as the ship's managing director, Mr. Ismay, makes his way through the crowd as the survivors silently stare at him.
The Iron Giant (1999)
Though the Disney animated movies took most of the attention in the 90s, The Iron Giant is a masterpiece of the genre. The story of a giant robot coming to Earth and bonding with a young boy is touching and heartbreaking. And one fascinating sequence helped foreshadow the giant's arc.
As the giant goes to sleep, he has a vision of an army of robots coming to Earth and destroying everything with himself as part of the army. It touches on his struggle between his original purpose and his new gentle nature.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Since the mystery of The Sixth Sense is very well known by audiences at this point, it is easy to forget how brilliantly the movie builds the suspense early on. As Dr. Malcolm works with young Cole, there are only hints at his torment and one deleted scene communicates that in a powerful way.
As Malcolm watches Cole play with his Civil War figurines, he comments on two soldiers lying on the ground. Cole goes into an emotional and detailed explanation of who these soldiers were and the lives they were trying to return to before being killed in battle, raising the question of where Cole heard such a story.
The Truman Show (1998)
Jim Carrey delivered one of his best performances in the clever comedy-drama The Truman Show. The story of a man who doesn't realize his life is the center of a hit television show is so engrossing, especially when Truman starts to learn the truth.
In one hilarious deleted scene, Truman encounters a man in a wheelchair and gives him his sandwich. But the next day, Truman sees that same man, now jogging down the street, playing a different role in this story.
Independence Day (1996)
Though Independence Day is a thrilling sci-fi adventure, there is one aspect of the movie that has always been criticized. Jeff Goldblum's character uses his 90s computer to implant a virus into the mothership and brings the alien army down. That was too much to believe for some, but a deleted scene actually cleared that issue up.
The simple and short scene shows Goldblum inspecting the captured spaceship and seeing that it uses the same frequency as the countdown clock he discovered earlier. Therefore, the final scene is less about him hacking the alien technology and rather him using their technology against them.
Dogma (1999)
Kevin Smith's Dogma is one of the filmmaker's best movies in his View Askewniverse. The movie also features a lot of complex and compelling ideas on religion, all told within a wild comedy adventure. But one of the most interesting concepts in the movie ended up being cut.
The scene involves the demon Azrael explaining why Hell is actually the fault of humanity. He explains that it used to be simply a solitary void filled with demons but when humans failed to repent their sins, they came to Hell and brought their guilt with them, turning it into a pit of suffering.
The Mask (1994)
Though Jim Carrey's The Mask was a hilarious and fun comedy, it differs quite a bit from the much darker source material. However, there is one deleted scene that gives a small hint at what that movie could have been like.
In a scene set in a news printing factory, the villainous Dorian gains control of the magical mask. He then disposes of a nosy reporter by throwing her into the printing press resulting in newspapers printing out with a headline about her death.
Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery (1997)
There are a number of clever ways the Austin Powers movies parodied the James Bond franchise. However, one of the best gags from the first movie ended up getting cut that takes a look at the consequences of super spies killing so many nameless henchmen.
After Austin Powers runs over a henchman with a steamroller, the movie cuts to the home of the henchman where his wife and stepson get the sad news. It is a hilarious bit of dark humor that makes all the henchman deaths in Bond movies seem a lot sadder.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
Not only is Terminator 2 a bigger sequel than the original, but it also reinvents aspects of the first movie in clever ways. The T-800 becomes the hero protecting John Conner in what turns out to be a touching relationship. But one crucial deleted scene helps explain their bond.
As the heroes take a moment to hide out, John asks the Terminator about his cyborg mind. He explains that Terminators have the capacity to learn, but they are automatically programmed with a "read-only" setting. This leads to John and his mother resetting the Terminator, allowing him to learn and potentially making his sacrifice in the end more human.
The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)
Hannibal Lecter is one of the most terrifying movie villains of all time. While he forms a strange bond with Clarice, he seems almost inhuman in his personification of evil. But he shows a deeper side to himself in a fascinating deleted scene.
The scene takes place during one of Clarice's visits with Lecter in which he provides his analysis on the serial killer known as Buffalo Bill. With tears in his eyes, Lecter explains that Bill was made a killer through years of abuse and feeling ignored. It is a rare show of emotion, suggesting Lecter may share a similar background.